CHARLOTTE - The Big South Conference announced today the official nominees for the Conference's Woman of the Year award for 2011-12, with UNC Asheville's Emily Pineda among seven student-athletes from six member institutions comprising this year's candidates.

The Conference's Woman of the Year award is sponsored by Big South Corporate Partner Musco Sports Lighting. The Big South's Woman of the Year Selection Committee will determine two finalists, which will be announced next week, and the overall winner will be announced and presented her award at the Big South's Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner on Thursday, May 31 in Hilton Head, S.C. The Big South Woman of the Year winner is nominated as a candidate for the national NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

Pineda, a 3.48 student in health & wellness promotions, immersed herself in various youth causes while at Asheville, such as Kids at Work, which offers healthy cooking classes for children at risk of dropout, and 21st Century Scholars, which works with at-risk middle school students in physical activity. She has also volunteered at a childhood obesity prevention camp. Pineda has served as team captain the last three years, has been a Dean's List student all four years as well as a member of the Athletic Director's 3.0 Club.

The Conference's Woman of the Year award is sponsored by Big South Corporate Partner Musco Sports Lighting. The Big South's Woman of the Year Selection Committee will determine two finalists, which will be announced next week, and the overall winner will be announced and presented her award at the Big South's Awards & Hall of Fame Dinner on Thursday, May 31 in Hilton Head, S.C. The Big South Woman of the Year winner is nominated as a candidate for the national NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

Pineda, a 3.48 student in health & wellness promotions, immersed herself in various youth causes while at Asheville, such as Kids at Work, which offers healthy cooking classes for children at risk of dropout, and 21st Century Scholars, which works with at-risk middle school students in physical activity. She has also volunteered at a childhood obesity prevention camp. Pineda has served as team captain the last three years, has been a Dean's List student all four years as well as a member of the Athletic Director's 3.0 Club.